Manor Vinegar has supplied malt, spirit, distilled, speciality, and red and white wine vinegar to retailers, wholesalers and food manufacturers for over 100 years. A by-product of its operation is spent brewers’ grain, which is stored on-site in a silo. It is essential that the silo is emptied of co-products each day for the firm’s continuous operation to be maintained.
As Manor’s production volumes vary, ForFarmers’ staff communicate closely with the in-house team to predict, plan and review collection times. This ensures the drivers arrive at the optimum moment, enabling Manor to meet its rigorous production schedule. As well as ensuring smooth operation, the service also brings in additional revenue, as the co-products are sold as animal feed.
However, when a high-side vehicle collided with the silo early in 2019, it destroyed the discharge mechanism, causing the grain to spill onto the floor and leaving Manor Vinegar with a mash tun of fresh co-product. With a full order book but nowhere to store the grain from each brew, the company was forced to halt production. Initial enquiries into repairing or replacing the silo saw them facing a downtime of at least three weeks – disastrous for the business.